Freelance Copywriter

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10 Social Networks Your Business Should Be On

Here we are again, tackling over the link between social media and small business owners. In a previous article I was telling you how to get started on social media and what are the 10 best social networks you should not miss if you want to make yourself known online. Today we are going to continue our trip of discovering the 10 best social platforms that are currently on the internet. I am going to tell you exactly what business goes with what social network, but there will also be some universal places; meaning that no matter your business activity, you must be there. Off we go:

A. Fit for Everything Social Platforms:

1. Facebook
1 billion active users. I think that speaks for itself on the popularity of this social network So whether you are in the fast food industry, you sell make-up products, you are a vet or a dentist this platform is good for every kind of activity. You can promote your business online, gain an audience fast and organize contests to attract more followers. If you dont know how to get started on Facebook, I have an article which deals exactly with this issue. You can create a public profile for your business and interact with internet users from all across the globe. The power is in your hands be careful how you use it!
Bianca Marieta | www.biancamarieta.com

Freelance Copywriter
www.biancamarieta.com facebook.com/marietasblog

2. Google +
A real competitor to the giant Facebook, Google Plus is situated somewhere in between social media and SEO. Rumor has it that Google, with its G+, are not aiming for creating a social platform, but rather a tool that knows how to listen to peoples preferences and thus display exactly the results they are looking for. It is important to be present on G+ for several reasons: a.) First of all, it is a social platform and, like Facebook, it is good for any kind of business you might be into. b.) Second, those who have a Google account have instant access to the + button that appears in Google search results. If they + your link, the next time they are going to search for similar keywords, your website will appear among the top results, reminding them that they found what they were looking for on your site. c.) You can interact with your followers on a more professional level. Like on Facebook, you can create a profile for your business (click here to get started) but witht the help of Google Places you can literally put your business on the map.

3. Twitter
It is the place where news are born Im serious. So if you have something important to say, build an audience and broadcast your announcements. Twitter is good for every kind of activity because it is like a written news channel. Tweet and the world will find out about you in less than a couple of seconds. You can always see who re-tweeted your tweets and thus make an idea about what people think vis-a-vis the newsworthiness of your announcements.

4. LinkedIn
This is the social platform where you dont have to be, but want to be. Surrounded only by professionals and business persons, on LinkedIn you will enjoy a business-like environment. You can connect with other businesspersons from your field and thus grow your authority. Once you completed your profile, you can download it as a .pdf document and use it as a CV, just like I did on my Contact page.
Bianca Marieta | www.biancamarieta.com

Freelance Copywriter
www.biancamarieta.com facebook.com/marietasblog

On the other side, you can promote your articles, news and blog posts via LinkedIn. You can join online communities that are linked to your activity and thus stay in touch with everything thats happening in your niche.

B. Business-Oriented Social Platforms:

5. YouTube
One of the most famous websites in the world, YouTube can be your own personal TV channel if you know how to work with it. Personally, I am not yet interested in using YouTube on a professional level, but I am planning to make myself known there too this, however, in the upcoming future. The main drawback (or not?) with YouTube is that it is a video website so if you dont have a video, you dont have to be there. But the bright side of this social network is that you can make yourself and your business known over night. Yes, there have been some brainy videos which went viral in less than 48 hours and honestly, although it seems improbable, it is the best thing that can happen to a business owner. The businesses that can benefit from YouTube are those for which videos are a way of life: Make-up artists Internet marketing experts Anchors Comedians Journalists Radio DJs and podcasters Musicians and singers Chefs Travel agencies etc.

6. Pinterest
The website is entirely focused on visuals. It can be used by a variety of businesses, but sometimes you may find it hard to gain authority here if your activity does not have anything in common with pictures and images. The majority of Pinterest users are women, so it comes natural that
Bianca Marieta | www.biancamarieta.com

Freelance Copywriter
www.biancamarieta.com facebook.com/marietasblog

businesses which have women as their main target audience will benefit the most from this social website. Businesses that are most likely to enjoy great popularity on Pinterest are: Photographers Make-up artists & mani/pedi Chefs Fashion designers Architects Interior designers Web & apps designers People who create infographics Businesses which sell handmade products Travel agencies

The good thing about Pinterest is that, with a bit of imagination, almost everybody can become popular here. As long as you manage to find impressive photos which are connected with your articles, you have good chances of attracting lots of followers. But dont forget: stay visual, attract users attention with cool pictures!

7. Scribd
Use Scribd exactly as I am doing. Write your article/press release/ebook and publish it there. For me, it works wonderfully; each time I upload a new .pdf document on Scribd I get at least 40 views on the first day and the number keeps increasing each day. This way I make sure that my website gets known online, I gain authority and slowly but surely, biancamarieta becomes more popular. Scribd is also a great backlink provider, so you want to make sure that your works are present there. Did you know you can make money on Scribd? Do you have an ebook that you want to sell but dont know where? Scribd is the perfect place to get an extra income. You can upload your document on the website and choose the amount of money you want to receive for it (you can also let Scribd decide whats the best price for your work). Then, you can choose which pages of the document you want people to see as a preview. The website is not necessarily a social platform, but since you can follow people and they can follow you, my opinion is that it is a perfect fit to this category. Businesses which can win from posting on Scribd:
Bianca Marieta | www.biancamarieta.com

Freelance Copywriter
www.biancamarieta.com facebook.com/marietasblog

Article writers, copywriters, journalists writers in general Internet marketing experts Doctors vets, dentists, etc. (they cna publish their works there and sell them, or if they have a blog, they can save their articles as .pdf documents and put them on Scribd) Everybody else who has something to write about.

Businesses for which Scribd is not that helpful: Those whose activity is not linked to writing: photographers, designers, makeup artists, etc.

Tip 1: Even if your activity is not directly linked to writing, you can always write some tutorials, give advice, etc. If you are not good with writing, you can contact someone who knows this stuff: bloggers, article writers, online copywriters. Tip 2: When you write your .pdf files, make sure that they bear your mark. Create a Word design for your documents prior to saving them as PDFs. This way you make sure that people will identify the documents with your business. Include links to your website for linkbuilding andtadaa!

8. SoundCloud
Now, if with YouTube, Pinterest or Scribd I managed to find reasons for which business owners can create a profile, SoundCloud is not that malleable. To put it short, the only ones who can benefit from SoundCloud are: Singers Podcasters & DJs

9. StumbleUpon
You cannot create a profile for businesses here, but what you can do is share your content on Stumble Upon. Again, visuals are kings here, so if your articles are just like mine, with lots of text in them, stay away from StumbleUpon. Why? Your bounce rate will go through the roof, this is why. StumbleUpon users are mainly interested in photos and videos, so if youre not into these fields, it is better to stay away from this social network.
Bianca Marieta | www.biancamarieta.com

Freelance Copywriter
www.biancamarieta.com facebook.com/marietasblog

10. Flickr
It is the epitome of PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES. Photographers & Web Designers alone can enjoy the benefits of this website. If you are not passionate about taking photos dont bother to create a profile here.

Tip of the day:

A new study published on Venture Beat reveals that while 90% of small businesses are on Facebook and 70$% of them are on Twitter, there are very few those who have made themselves known on G+ or Pinterest. Could it be because Pinterest is a relatively new social platform and people barely know how to use it to promote their activity? Could it be because G+ is not so attractive to many? Whatever the reason, these are the statistics. But the good news is that both G+ and Pinterest are great means of advertising for free. And the fact that they arent used by so many businesses could be an advantage for you: less businesses, lower competition. My advice to you is: dont miss any of the social platforms where your business can flourish! It doesnt matter the percentage of businesses on that platform, what matters is that you are there, making yourself known. You may be one grain of sand on the Hawaiian beach, but dont forget how many people take their jar of sand back home & keep it as a souvenir! And dont forget that everybody knows about the Hawaiian beaches I look forward to meeting you on social platforms! Lets connect and grow our businesses together. You can find me on:

Best wishes,
Bianca Marieta

Bianca Marieta | www.biancamarieta.com

Freelance Copywriter
www.biancamarieta.com facebook.com/marietasblog

Thanks for downloading and taking time to read this document! I am waiting for your opinions on my website or you can contact me on Facebook.

Bianca Marieta | www.biancamarieta.com